Produce basket filling device



Sept. 18, 1962 w. B. CRANE PRODUCE BASKET FILLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 3,1959 INVENTOR. M4TaA/,3 Zea/vi fraeA/fns United States This inventiondeals generally with the packaging of produce for retail sale andparticularly with a produce basket filling device.

Copending application Serial No. 809,391 filed April 28, 1959, entitledWrapper for Packaged Produce discloses a slit wrapper for use inpackaging produce in plastic produce baskets. In use, the produce to bepackaged is placed in the center of the wrapper and the corners of thelatter are brought together and joined over the produce. The wrapper andproduce therein are then turned upside down and placed in a basket sothat the joined corners of the wrapper are located at the bottom of thebasket. The wrapper then confines the articles of produce in thebasket.

This prior wrapper is slit in such a way as to render it capable ofbeing stretched or expanded in at least one direction. As a result, thewrapper tends to mold itself about the produce to form a finishedprodu-ce package having an extremely unique and pleasing appearance.Stretching of the wrapper during packaging causes widening of the slitsinto ventilation openings.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a device tofacilitate packaging of produce with a slit Wrapper and basket in themanner outlined above.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a produce basketfilling device for supporting the prior slit wrapper while it is beingfilled with and wrapped about the produce to be packaged and thereafterplacing the filled Wrapper in an inverted position in a produce basket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a produce basket fillingdevice of the character described which is simple in construction,inexpensive to manufacture, and both easy and rapid to use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent as the description proceeds.

A present illustrative embodiment of the invention will now be describedby reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a View in perspective of the present basket filling device inuse;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the device;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

VFIG. 4 is a detail view of a pivot mount embodied in the device; and fFIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along line S-S of FIG. 4.

In these drawings, the numeral denotes one type of slit wrapperdisclosed in the aforementioned copending application. As described morefully in that application, wrapper `10 consists of a thin pliable sheetof plastic or other suitable material. This sheet has a rectangularcentral area 16 formed with diagonal rows 18 of spaced slits. These rowsof slits terminate in spaced relationship to the edges of the sheet 10,so as to define an unslit border 20 about the slit center area 16. Theslits in adjacent rows 18 are longitudinally offset, and those inalternate rows are aligned. This slit arrangement is similar to thatemployed in so-called expanded metal and affords the slit center area 16of the sheet with the ability to stretch or expand in the transversedirection of the rows v18.

arent 0 M 3,054,238 Patented Sept. 18, 1962V As preliminarily outlined,and described more fully in the prior application, the articles ofproduce 22 to be packaged are placed on the slit area 16 of the sheet10'. The corners of the sheet are then drawn together over the produceand joined. Finally, the wrapper and produce are turned over and placedin a rectangular produce basket 24. In the filled produce basket,therefore, the corners of the sheet 10 are located at the bottom of thebasket.

The numeral 26 generally denotes the present device for facilitatingfilling o-f the basket 24 in the manner described above. The presentbasket filling device will be seen to comprise a base 28 to be fixed toor otherwise mounted on a supporting surface. This base has beenillustrated as comprising an L-shaped bracket having a horizontal part30, which may be attached to the surface,

and a Vertical part 32.

Pivotally mounted on the upper end of the vertical bracket part 32, forturning on a horizontal axis, is a sheet metal body forming a cup member34. Cup member 34 has a rectangular shape and comprises a side wall ormore accurately flat side walls 36. Extending across the inside of thismember, intermediate the upper and lower edges of the side walls 36, asthe device is viewed in FIG. 2, are a pair of peripherally flanged wallsor par- `titions 38. These partitions separate the member 34 into a pairof cups 40 and 42 which open in diametrically opposite directions of themember. Partitions 38 are adjustably secured in the member 34, to permitthe depth of the cups 40 and 42 to be varied, by bolts 43 which passthrough holes in the flanges of the partitions and slots in the sidewalls 36 of the member 34, as shown.

Cup member 34 is pivotally mounted on the bracket;l

or base 28, for turning between a first filling position wherein cup 40is uppermost, and a second filling position wherein cup 42 is uppermost,by pivotal mounting means 44. 'I'his pivotal mounting means comprisesshort shaft or trunnion 46 which is rigidly attached to the center ofone side wall 36 of the member 34. Trunnion 46 is journalled in acentral bore through a sleeve bearing 48 mounted on the vertical bracketpart 32. The numeral 50 denotes a yieldable detent type indexing meansfor releasably Aholding the cup member in its aforesaid fillingpositions. Y

Encircling the open end of each cup 40v and 42 of the member 34 is alateral flange 52. It will be observed that the side wall 36 of the cupmember 34 terminates at the open end of the cup member in a planetransverse to the side wall and that the flange 52 extends outwardlyfrom the side wall in this plane. An inclined flange or shoulder 54 isjoined to the outer edge of each flange 52 to form a flared rim. Flange52 is formed by turningv out the sheet metal of the cup member 34 alongthe adjacent edge of the side wall 36. Flange 54 is formed byturning thesheet metal along the outer edge of and at an angle to the flange 52.Extending from the edge of each shoulder flange 54, which parallels thepivotal axis of the cup member 34, is a linger or prong 56. Each cup 40and 42, therefore, has a pair of fingers or prongs 56 which or mouth ofthe upper cup 40 in such a way that the rows, 18 of slits in the wrapperextend parallel to the pivotalA axis of the cup member 34, and thefingers 56 on the upper cup extend through slits in the wrapper asillustrated in FIG. Z. The produce 22 to be packaged is then placed inthe center, slit portion of the wrapper. The- 3 weight of the producecauses this slit portion to stretch and sag into the upper cup 40 untilit and the produce rest on the upper partition 38. The corners of thesheet or wrapper are then drawn over the produce and joined, in themanner described more fully in the aforesaid copending application.

The next step is to place the basket 24 to be filled in an invertedposition over the upper cup 40, so that the rim of the basket seats onthe lateral fiange 52 of the upper cup. 'Ihe basket then overlies thewrapper and produce in the upper cup. Finally, the cup member 34 isturned over or inverted to the position of FIG. l wherein the produceand wrapper drop into the basket 24 to complete the basket fillingoperation. It will be seen that in the completed produce package, thecorners of the wrapper 10 are located at the bottom of the basket, andthe slits of the wrapper are widened to form ventilation openings aspreviously mentioned.

During inverting of the cup member 34 in the manner just described, ofcourse, the second cup 42 is turned to its upper filling position inreadiness for the next basket filling operation. Thus, the double-endedconstruction of the cup 34 renders the present basket filling deviceboth rapid and easy to use since at the end of each basket fillingoperation, one of the cups 40 or 42 is located in its upper loadingposition in readiness for the next basket filling operation. lf themember 34 had only one cup, for example, it would have to be returned toits upright loading position at the end of each basket fillingoperation.

It will be seen that the lateral fianges 52 on the cup member serve bothto support and locate the basket 24 to be filled. The inclined shoulderanges 54 serve to locate the basket in the centered position over theupper cup. The inclination of the shoulder flanges, of course, tends tolead or guide the basket to its centered position when it is beingplaced over the cup.

In practice, produce baskets may have various shapes and sizes, such assquare, rectangular, or round. For this reason, the aforementioned priorapplication discloses several different forms of slit wrappers suitablefor these different basket shapes. The cup member 34 of the presentbasket filling device will be proportioned and configured to correspondwith the shape and size of the particular basket to be filled. Thus, themember may be circular, or rectangular, rather than square as shown ordescribed herein, if the baskets to be lfilled are circular orrectangular. It will be observed, however, that the width of the ange 52accommodates a small range of basket sizes. An advantage of the presentbasket filling device is that it tends to mold the produce to the shapeof the cup member, thereby enhancing the appearance of the filledbasket. The adjustment of the partitions 38 afforded by the bolts 43permits the depth of the cups 40, 4Z to be varied in accordance with thequantity of produce to be packaged.

It will be clear, therefore, that the basket filling device hereinbeforedescribed and illustrated is fully capable of attaining the severalobjects and advantages preliminarily set forth. While a preferredembodiment of the invention has been disclosed, various modifications indesign and the arrangement of parts of the invention are possible withinthe scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A produce basket filling device comprising a hollow, elongate memberopen at each end and including a side wall, a pair of transversepartitions within said member and defining with said side wall a pair ofcups which are open at the ends of the member, said partitions beingindependently longitudinally adjustable to vary the depth of said cups,said side wall having a first pair of opposed, longitudinally extendingslots adjacent one end and a second pair of opposed, longitudinallyextending slots adjacent the other end, a pair of threaded bolts on eachpartition extending through said pairs of slots, respectively, wherebythe partitions can be longitudinally adjusted by -movement of the boltsalong the slots, nuts on said bolts for releasably locking saidparttions in adjusted positions, a basket locating rim about each end ofthe member, a base to be mounted on a supporting surface, and meansrotatably mounting said member on said base for turning on an axisnormal to the length of the member.

2. A produce basket filling device comprising a hollow member open atone end and including a side wall, a transverse bottom partition withinsaid member and defining with said side wall a cup, said partition beingadjustable to vary the depth of said cup, said side wall having a pairof opposed, longitudinally extending slots, a pair of threaded bolts onsaid partition extending through said slots, whereby the partition canbe longitudinally adjusted by movement of the bolts along the slots,nuts on said bolts for releasably locking said partition in adjustedposition, a basket locating rim about said one end of the member, a baseto be mounted on a supporting surface, and means rotatably mounting saidmember on said base for turning on a normally horizontal axis between afirst position wherein the cup opens upwardly and an inverted positionwherein the cup opens downwardly.

3. A produce basket filling device comprising: a cup member open at oneend and including a bottom wall and a side wall, one end of said sidewall terminating at said open side of said member in a plane transverseto the side wall, a first outwardly projecting fiange joined to andextending about said one end of said side wall approximately in saidplane to define a basket-seating shoulder, a second flange joined to theouter edge of and extending transversely of said first flange to definea basketlocating rim about the outer edge of said first flange, a baseto be mounted on a supporting surface, and means rotatably mounting saidmember on said base for turning of the member on a normally horizontalaxis approximately parallel to said plane between an upright positionwherein said member opens upwardly and an inverted position wherein saidmember opens downwardly.

4. A produce basket filling device comprising: a cup member open at oneend and including a bottom wall and a side wall, one end of said sidewall terminating at said open side of said member in a plane transverseto the side wall, a first outwardly projecting fiange joined to andextending about said one end of said side wall approximately in saidplane to define a basket-seating shoulder, a second flange joined to theouter edge of and extending transversely of said first flange to definea basket-locating rim about the outer edge of said first fiange, a pairof prongs joined to and extending beyond the edge of said second flangeat opposite sides of said member, a base to be mounted on a supportingsurface, and means rotatably mounting said member on said base forturning of the member on a normally horizontal axis approximatelyparallel to said plane between an upright position wherein said memberopens upwardly and an inverted position wherein said member opensdownwardly.

5. A produce basket filling device comprising: a hollow sheet metal bodyopen at one end and including a side wall, one end of which terminatesat said open end of said body in a plane transverse to said side wall,the sheet metal of said body being turned outwardly at said end of saidside wall to form a first flange extending about said one end of saidside wall approximately in said plane and defining a basket-seatingshoulder, the sheet metal of said 4body being turned at an angle to saidfirst flange along the outer edge of the latter flange to form a secondfiange extending transversely of said first ange and defining abasket-locating rim about the outer edge of said first flange, a bottomwall extending across the inside of said body and joined to said sidewalls to define with said body a cup which opens through said open endof the body, a base to be mounted on a supporting surface, and meansrotatably mounting said body on said base for turning of the body on anormally horizon-tal axis ap- -proXimately parallel to said planebetween an upright position wherein said body opens upwardly and aninverted position wherein said body opens downwardly.

6. A produce basket filling device comprising: a cup member open at oneend and including a side wall, -a bottom wall separate from said sidewall, means adjustably connecting said bottom wall to said side wall Itopermit adjustment of said bottom wall to vary the interior depth of saidcup member, one end of said side wall terminating at said open end ofsaid member in a plane transverse to the side Wall, a rst outwardlyprojecting flange joined to and extending about said one end of saidside wall approximately in said plane to define Ia basketaseatingshoulder, a second flange joined to the outer edge and extendingtransversely of said rst flange to dene a basket-locating rim about theouter edge of said 6 first llange, a base to be mounted on a supportingsurface, and means rotatably mounting said member on said base forturning of the member on a normally horizontal axis approximatelyparallel to said plane between an upright inverted position wherein saidmember opens downwardly.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,150Davies Dec. 1, 1891 1,515,937 Dippel Nov. 18, 1924 1,788,958 Polk Jan.13, 1931 1,924,053 Sheller Aug. 22, 1933 2,511,285 Meincke June 13, 19502,635,798 Thompson Apr. 21, 1953 2,713,959 Gilbert et al. July 26, 19552,757,500 Heinl et al. Aug. 7, 1956 2,911,775 Schwebs Nov. 10, 1959

